Newsletter

Dossier

by Scott Lucas | Dec 19, 2018 | EAWORLDVIEW – Russia, Turkey, and Iran have failed to reach agreement on the composition of a constitutional committee to help resolve Syria’s 93-month conflict.The foreign ministers of the three countries, meeting in Geneva, signed an agreement in principle for a committee leading to “a viable and lasting […]

Turkey, Russia, Iran call for ‘viable, Syrian-led’ political process in Geneva DAILY SABAH WITH AGENCIES – ISTANBUL – 18 Dec 2018 – Published 7 min ago Turkey, Russia and Iran called for the launch of a “viable and lasting Syrian-led, Syrian-owned and U.N.-facilitated political process” after talks in Geneva on Tuesday, saying that a new […]

by Scott Lucas | Dec 19, 2018 | EAWORLDVIEW – Russia, Turkey, and Iran have failed to reach agreement on the composition of a constitutional committee to help resolve Syria’s 93-month conflict.The foreign ministers of the three countries, meeting in Geneva, signed an agreement in principle for a committee leading to “a viable and lasting Syrian-owned, Syrian-led, UN-facilitated political process”.

But they failed to conclude the make-up of the 150-strong committee — 50 members each from the Assad regime, the opposition, and civil society and “independent” groups — with diplomats saying Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had objected to five names. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura, who has pursued the committee since January and is quitting at the end of December, was absent from the gathering.

Last week recorded more casualties among the border porters (Kolbars) who transfer goods semi-legally between Iran, Iraq, and Turkey. On December 14, a Kolbar from Baneh died from his wounds by Iranian border guards while another one was shot to death in the forests of Baneh. According to the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KMM), on the same day, a Kolbar died due to an avalanche. On December 16, a rights group (Hengaw) reported the severe injury of a Kolbar and the arrest of two others by Iranian regime guards near Piranshahr. In Marivan city, the Iranian regime security forces prevented the Kurdish students from holding a seminar about the conditions of the Kolbars at Payame Noor University. On Tuesday after calls from Kurdish activists, most of the markets in Baneh city held a general strike against the killings of the Kolbars.

In the Kurdish city of Kermanshah, the Iranian security forces detained Behnam Ibrahim Zada, a prominent civilian activist who spent five years in prison for his work toward the rights of the labors and participation in demonstrations. During a raid on his home, regime forces also confiscated his laptop computer and cellphone. An anonymous source told the Kurdistan Human Rights Network that Ibrahim Zada was sentenced to 18 months by the Islamic revolutionary court in Kermanshah in his absence. Meanwhile, the Iranian regime also arrested fours Kurds in Marivan and transferred them to an undisclosed location run by the intelligence service.

The Coalition partner force, #SDF/#PKK, still has trouble getting the support of Arab-majority zones it displaced #IS from. Arabs feel excluded from governance. The PKK suspects the Arab tribes of being collaborators. Combustible situation.

Turkey, Russia and Iran called for the launch of a “viable and lasting Syrian-led, Syrian-owned and U.N.-facilitated political process” after talks in Geneva on Tuesday, saying that a new Syrian Constitutional Committee should convene early next year.

In a joint statement read out by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov after the trio met U.N. Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura, they said that the work of the new body “should be governed by a sense of compromise and constructive engagement”.

Basnews English 18/12/2018 – 15:18 ERBIL — Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallim has made it clear that Damascus would not agree with independence or federalism for the Kurds in the country.

Speaking to Damascus University professors, Muallim described the Kurds as “important” component of Syria who are ready for dialogue in the direction of benefiting the Damascus government.He said that the Syrian regime is against the autonomous administration in north of the country or any ideas of independence for the Kurds.The foreign minister described it as the “American delusion”, which the Kurds, he believes, should avoid.